Refrigerating machine



June 2,, i936. H. H. BIXLER 2,942,497

REFRIGERAT ING MACHINE Filed May 24, 1.935

Inventor:

How'leg H. B'xlerg by v rs Atto'f n e g.

Patented June 2, i936 FATENT @FFHCE REFRHGERATING MACHINE Harley ll-ll.Bixler, Schenectady, N. Y assignor General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application May 2%, 1935, Serial No. 23,178

Claims.

My invention relates to refrigerating machines. In refrigeratingmachines it is desirable to resiliently mount the refrigerant compressorin order to minimize the vibration transmitted therefrom to therefrigerator cabinet in which the compressor is mounted. The refrigerantcondenser may also be resiliently mounted or it may be rigidly mountedon the cabinet depending upon the particular design employed. In eithercase the refrigerant evaporator which forms the third principal elementof the system is usually rigidly mounted within one of the compartmentsof the refrigerator cabinet. As a consequence, it is necessary to employsome sort of flexible connection for conveying refrigerant between theparts of the refrigerating machine which are resiliently mounted andthose which are rigidly mounted on the cabinet.

It is an object of my invention to provide a refrigerating machine ofthe type described in which at least one of the elements forsuccessively compressing, condensing and evaporating the vaporizablerefrigerant is resiliently mounted and in which an arrangement isprovided for utilizing such resilient mounting to convey the refrigerantbetween at least two of the elements included in the machine. 1

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a refrigerating machine embodying my invention, and Fig. 2is an enlarged fragmentary view in section along the line 2-2 of thehollow supporting spring included in the refrigerating machine shown inFig. l.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown in Fig. 1 a refrigerating machinedesigned for household use, which includes as its principal elements, areciprocating type refrigerant compressor l0 and an electric drivingmotor I I therefor arranged in a hermetically sealed casing Ila, anatural draft air cooled condenser l2 made of sheet metal arranged aboutand carried by the casing i la, and a. flooded type sheet metalevaporator l3. This refrigerating machine is mounted on a base M, whichin the particular form of my invention i1- lustrated, is the removabletop wall of a household type refrigerator cabinet. The compressor It isof the Scotch yoke type and includes a reciprocating piston i5 which isactuated through a crank having a counterweight it by a vertical shaftll of the electric driving motor H. The compressor I0 is secured to alower extension l8 of a cylindrical frame 19 which surrounds the lowerportion of the stator of the electric driving motor II. The stator ofthe electric driving motor ll is rigidly secured to the frame l9 so thatthe compressor I0 and motor H are secured together as a unitarystructure. This unitary structure is resiliently mounted within thehermetically sealed steel casing Ha on a plurality of vertical helicalcompression springs 2 l, 22 and a third spring not shown.

Three integral radially extending feet 23 are formed on the frame I9 towhich are secured by bolts 25 depending sheet metal cups 2%. The lowerportions of the cups 24 are provided with a hellcal groove Zia in whichthe compression springs are tightly fitted. The lower ends ofthe'compression springs are also tightly fitted in similar helicalgrooves formed in studs 26 which are welded, or otherwise rigidlysecured, to the bottom of the casing i la.

The helical compression spring M is preferably made of a resilientmaterial such as spring steel tubing, to provide a refrigerant conduitas well as a resilient supporting member. I am thus enabled to utilizethis hollow spring as a portion of the system of refrigerant conduitsfor conveying refrigerant between the various elements constituting therefrigerating machine illustrated. This arrangement is particularlyadvantageous in that I have found that vibrations are transmitted fromthe motor and compressor unit to the base on which they are mounted whena separate flexible refrigerant conduit is used. This transmission ofvibration to the base is minimized, however, in the arrangementillustrated since one of the supporting springs of the motor andcompressor is itself utilized to form the conduit.

I prefer to connect the hollow spring 2| as a part of the discharge lineconnecting the compressor l0 and condenser l2 since the gaseousrefrigerant flowing therethrough in such case is at relatively highpressure. As a consequence, the spring 2| may be made with a relativelysmall diameter and still be capable of conducting a sufllcient amount ofcompressed gas with.- out undue back pressure.

The condenser I2 is formed of a pair of cylindrical sheets of metal 21and 28 having comple mentary indentations 29 and 30 respectively formedtherein. The sheets 21 and 28 are secured together in face engagementbeing welded, or otherwise rigidly secured, together about the edgesthereof and between the indentations 29 and 30 formed therein. Theindentations 29 and 30 thus form a refrigerant circulatory passage 3|extending about the condenser l2. The passage 3| is divided into upperand lower sections which are connected in series by a conduit (notshown). The condenser I2 is rigidly supported on the casing Ila. by aseries of radial metal fins 32.

The evaporator I3 is of the sheet metal type and includes a plurality ofrefrigerant circulatory passages 33 formed by indentations in one of thesheets forming the evaporator. The circulatory passages 33 communicatewith a longitudinal cylindrical header 33a, formed by complementaryindentations in the sheets of the evaporator.

In the operation of the machine described above, gaseous vaporizablerefrigerant such as sulphur dioxide is compressed by the motor drivencompressor H] and is discharged therefrom through a conduit 34 throughwhich it is conveyed to a discharge mufiler 35. The gaseous refrigerantleaving the muffler 35 passes therefrom through the passage formedwithin the hollow compression spring 2| to a conduit 36 through which itis conveyed to the refrigerant circulatory passage 3| of the condenserl2. The compressed gaseous refrigerant circulating through the passage3| of the condenser I2 is liquefied by the transfer of heat therefrom tothe cooling air circulating upwardly over the surfaces of the condenserl2 and fins 32 by natural draft. Liquefied refrigerant flows from thelower portion of the refrigerant circulatory passage 3| through aconduit 31 to a flow controlling float valve 38. Liquid refrigerant issupplied from the float valve 38 to the passages 33 of the evaporator l3through a conduit 39, the passages 33 being maintained flooded withliquid refrigerant and the header 33a being maintained about half fullof liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant in the passages 33 isvaporized by the absorption of heat from the interior of a compartmentin which the evaporator I3 is located and the vaporized refrigerant iscollected above the level of the liquid refrigerant in the header 33a.The vaporized refrigerant collected in the header 33a above the level ofthe liquid refrigerant therein is returned to the interior of the casingIla through a suction conduit 40. The interior of the casing II a isthus maintained at the low side pressure, that is, the pressure existingin the evaporator l3. The low pressure refrigerant vapor in the casingII a is drawn into the compressor Ill through an intake mufiler 4| andthe cycle described aboveis repeated until the temperature of thecompartment in which the evaporator I3 is located is reduced as desired.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in connectionwith a compression type refrigerating machine of the household type, Ido not desire my invention to be limited to the particular constructionshown and described and I intend, in the appended claims, to cover allmodifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:--

1. A refrigerating machine including a plurality of elements forsuccessively compressing condensing and evaporating a vaporizablerefrigerant, means including a resilient member having a passage formedtherein for conveying refrigerant from one of said elements to anotherof said elements, and means utilizing said resilient member forresiliently supporting at least one of said elements.

2. A refrigerating machine including a plurality of elements forsuccessively compressing condensing and evaporating a vaporizablerefrigerant, means including a helical resilient conduit for conveyingrefrigerant from one of said elements to another of said elements, andmeans utilizing said resilient conduit for resiliently supporting one ofsaid elements.

3. A refrigerating machine including a refrigerant compressor and arefrigerant condenser, means including a resilient member havingarefrigerant passage formed therein for means including a helicalresilient conduit for supplying compressed gaseous refrigerant from saidcompressor to said condenser, and means utilizing said resilient conduitfor resiliently supporting said unitary structure.

6. A refrigerating machine including a refrigerant compressor and arefrigerant condenser, means including a plurality of vertical helicalcompression springs for resiliently mounting said compressor, one ofsaid compression springs being hollow, and means utilizing said hollowcompression spring for conveying compressed gaseous refrigerant fromsaid compressor to said condenser.

7. A refrigerating machine including a refrigerant compressor, a.refrigerant condenser, a refrigerant evaporator, a supporting base forsaid machine, means including a plurality of conduits for conveyingrefrigerant to said compressor, said condenser and said evaporator inseries, means including a plurality of vertical helical compressionsprings for resiliently supporting said compressor on said base, one ofsaid springs being hollow, and means connecting said hollow spring inseries with one of said conduits for utilizing said hollow spring toconvey refrigerant.

8. Arefrigerating machine including a refrigerant compressor, arefrigerant condenser, a refrigerant evaporator, a supporting base forsaid .machine, said condenser and said evaporator being rigidlysupported on said base, means includa plurality of conduits forconveying refrigerant to said compressor, said condenser and saidevaporator'in series, means including a plurality of vertical helicalcompression springs for resiliently supporting said compressor on saidbase, one of said springs being hollow, and means connecting said hollowspring in series with one of said conduits for utilizing said hollowspring to convey refrigerant.

9. A refrigerating machine including a hermetically sealed casing, arefrigerant condenser surrounding said casing and supported thereby, arefrigerant compressor means including a plurality of vertical helicalcompression springs for supporting said compressor in said casing, one

of said compression springs being hollow, and means utilizing saidhollow compression spring for conveying compressed gaseous refrigerantfrom said compressor to said condenser.

10. A refrigeratingmachine including a hermetically sealed casing, arefrigerant condenser surrounding said casing and supported thereby, arefrigerant compressor, means in.-

cluding a plurality oi! vertical helical compression springs forsupporting said compressor in said casing, a supporting base for saidcasing, an evaporator supported on said base, means including aplurality of conduits for conveying refrigerant to said compressor, saidcondenser and said evaporator in series, and means connecting saidhollow spring in series with one or said conduits for utilizing saidhollow spring to convey refrigerant.

HARLEY H. BIXLER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,042,497. June 2., 1936.

HARLEY H. BIXLER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,second column, line 64, claim 8 for the syllable "includ-" readincluding; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.-

Signed and sealed this 1st day of September, A. D. 1956.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

